


Good Boi OR The five times Blu saved Zallie's life and the one time she couldn't do the same

by Kithera



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Constructive Criticism Welcome, Dogs, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Force-Sensitive Original Character(s), Gen, Jedi Culture & Tradition (Star Wars), Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Pets, Quote: The Force works in mysterious ways, Slice of Life, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28170027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kithera/pseuds/Kithera
Summary: From the moment she picked Blu, Zallie and he shared a special bond. She is his pack. He will do anything to make sure his pack is safe.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 2





	1. Pack

Blu snuffled through the undergrowth. The  _ cold white water  _ was thick on the ground and it clung to his feet and got between the pads of his toes. He didn’t like it. He wanted to be somewhere warm and soft with tasty smells. 

Ahead of him  _ she _ stumbled. 

Blu watched her, eyes narrowing. It was cold for him, but he had fur. The pink one, his pack leader had no proper fur. Sure, she had  _ coat _ that she pulled on and off and that always smelt good, but it wasn't proper  _ coat _ . She growled at him when he slept on it, and complained that it was always covered with his hair, but it still wasn’t  _ coat _ .

He figured it was why she kept shaking, and why she hadn’t talked to him in a long time.  _ She _ had lost where home was in the snow and he couldn’t scent it either. Now the darkness was coming and there would be - 

A howl split the quickly darkening sky. Blu shivered. Part of him wanted to join them, but they weren’t his pack. _ She  _ was his pack. She was the one that kept him safe and warm and fed.  _ She _ was his pack leader. He would die for her. 

She stumbled and fell. Blu whined and circled her. She was too cold. She had no  _ coat _ and those without  _ coat _ always died in the  _ cold white water _ . He thought about what he’d seen other four-legs do, where they sheltered. Some ways away there were the big trees. He’d discovered last  _ cold white water _ , that they were shelter. Their long fingers kept the  _ cold white water _ from their base, just like the roof did at  _ home. She _ could shelter there, that would be safe until the light came again. 

He pushed her as she shivered and stumbled into the hollow under the big tree. The one that tickled his fur with its long fingers and made his nose itch and smart with its scent. It was warmer here, away from the icy wind. There was almost no  _ cold white water  _ under the tree’s many fingers and she seemed safer curled at the rough tree leg. 

The howl sounded. Closer now. Blu glanced at  _ her.  _ Then at where the howl had come from. They were not his pack, but they would understand. He would explain to them how  _ she _ was his pack. Maybe he could protect her that way. 

Blu licked her face, tasting the salt and feeling how cold she was. She should not be cold. He knew how to warm her. He just had to convince them that  _ she  _ was his pack, even though she was not like them. He licked her one more and then wiggled out under the fingers of the tree. 

*

Zallie opened her eyes in as trails of light bent their way through the pine needles and slowly filled the space with a creamy, greenish glow. She stared at the needles as they bent and swayed, wondering how she had gotten here and why she was so warm. The next thing she became aware of was the overwhelming scent of dogs. Zallie shifted slightly and found herself staring at a thick, grey coat. Slightly alarmed she reached out with the Force.  The colours of the weave were the mottled red grey and white of - ! Her heart started to beat loudly in her chest and she forced herself not to scream. Wolves. She was surrounded by wolves. 

Over the sounds of snoring wolves, she heard a tail thump and there was a small pitter patter of falling snow. Raising herself up on one elbow, she saw Blu staring at her, tail wagging gently. 

Beside her a massive wolf’s head rose, its eyes blinking sleepily.. She gave a start of fear, suddenly terrified that it would realise that she wasn’t a wolf and tear her limb from limb. Normally she would have used the Force to coax them to be  _ friend _ , but waking up under a tree covered by wolf bodies was not normal. 

The wolf lowered its head gently down so that it rested on her chest, forcing her to lie back into the pile of warm dog bodies. Zallie lay back, trying to sort out what had happened the night before. The last thing she’d remembered was losing her direction and not being able to find the steading. Then of just being so cold and so, very, very tired. She reached out with the Force again, trying to find an answer as to why the wolves were protecting her, but all that came back was one very overwhelming idea. 

_ Pack. Pack is safe. You are Pack. You are safe.  _


	2. A long way home

Zallie knew she’d had far too much to drink. She stumbled through the alleyways, trying to get back to the Ladybug and wondered briefly if that last shot of Hutt in a Blender had been really worth it. It had been fun though. She had gotten too used to travelling with just her and Blu, so a night out amongst people, even if there had become very drunk people, had been perfect. 

There was movement at the end of the alley and she froze. Or rather, she tried to freeze but instead she stumbled forward, leaning against a wall for support. The noise came again, closer this time and Zallie tried to assume a fighting stance and look as menacing as her drunk brain would allow. 

“Who's there?” she called, swaying on her feet. The noise stopped for a second and then started again, a rustling sound followed by the crash of something further down the alleyway. Zallie cast around for something she could use as a weapon but there was nothing nearby. She tried calling on the Force, but she couldn’t focus enough to get anything clearer than a few fuzzy, muddled colours. 

Something wet pushed into her hand and she shrieked in terror. She looked down to see Blu nuzzling her hand and staring at her with his large, brown eyes. She squatted down next to him before crumpling into a sitting position. She ran her hair through his fur, trying to calm herself. 

“How did you get out boy?” she asked gently as Blu stared down the alleyway, his tail lowered. Blu barked loudly and Zallie got to feet, swaying slightly. “Never mind. Let’s go home.” 

She turned and stumbled out of the alleyway. Blu glared once more from where the crashing noise had come from. Then he turned and trotted out after Zallie, following closely on her heels.

At the far end of the alley, a shadow cursed and went to find another target.


	3. The Wrong

Something was  _ wrong _ . The acrid smell woke him. He was used to the smells of this  _ home _ . The giant,  _ cold bird of the sky _ . He was used to the tinny, shiny smells of the walls, and the earthier, food smells of the _ small pack _ . This was different. This was  _ wrong. _

He leapt up onto the  _ leader’s _ sleep space. He knew he wasn’t allowed up here. He knew that the  _ small old one _ would growl at him if she caught him up here. He didn’t care. He needed to alert the leader of the  _ wrong _ . 

He licked her face, whimpering and growling softly to try and wake her.  _ She _ stirred, pushing him away with one hand. 

“Go away Blu,” she said sleepily. He watched as she frowned in her sleep and wrinkled her nose. He whimpered again, gently using his teeth to tug at her  _ coat _ . She sat up, blinking in the dim light and then her eyes widened as she, too, smelt the  _ wrong _ . 

She leapt out of bed, yelling as she pulled on more  _ coat _ . Blu leapt around her feet, barking, overjoyed that she too had smelt it. Added to the  _ wrong _ was the strange bouquet of emotions that poured off her in waves, the tang of sweat, the mustiness of sleep, and the whiff of  _ fear _ . 

Blu went still as he registered the last one and then whined as  _ She _ went down the corridor of the  _ cold bird of the sky  _ shouting and banging. He realised that the rest of  _ pack _ was still sleeping. She was trying to wake them just as he had woken her. 

He bounded after her, barking furiously in his effort to rouse the rest of  _ pack _ from their slumber. This was how he could help. This is how he would save them all from the  _ wrong _ that he could smell. 

*

The  _ small, old one _ patted Blu and fed him another slice of bacon. Blu settled under the table, content and happy. His belly was full and the sweet breath of love and contentment perfumed the air. 

“We’re lucky that Blu was clever enough to wake us all,” the  _ tall old one _ said, taking another sip of caff. “If he hadn’t, we’d be in trouble.” 

“I told you to get the electrics checked,” the  _ small old one  _ said. Blu caught a whiff of annoyance. “One day it’s going to get us into real trouble. I don’t want to have the electrics fail when we’re running from Imperials.” 

The  _ tall old one  _ just grunted and went back to his caff. 

“It doesn’t matter now,”  _ She _ was speaking. Blu’s ears perked up. “Blu saved us. He’s a good boy.” Her hand slipped beneath the table and scratched his ears. He thumped his tail on the ground. He had protected  _ pack _ . He was the _best boy_.


	4. The Crash

Zallie closed her eyes, willing for someone to find her. She tried reaching out with the Force but her head hurt too much to focus properly. Every part of her hurt. She tried tugging her arm out from underneath the control panel but every movement caused an avalanche of pain to cascade grey and fuzzy. 

She didn’t know exactly how long she’d been there, just that the light had begun to edge through the cracked windshield of the crashed speeder. 

She wished she’d never fought with Del and Rin. She wished she’d never let her temper open her mouth. She wished she’d thought about it a bit more when she’d taken Blu and the speeder out into the desert near  _ The Bower _ . She wished she’d seen the Terazod before she’d crested that hill. She wished she’d not been driving so fast. She wished she’d…

She shivered and then whimpered as her muscles cramped in pain. Wishes would never get her anywhere. She would never see her family again. Never get to take back the words. Soon the sun would come up and, if her injuries didn’t kill her, then the heat would. 

She glanced around for Blu, but the dog was long gone. He must have been thrown out of the speeder. Zallie reached out with the Force again, but her head hurt too much to try and find his lifesign. What she could see of the weave was an endless muddled mess of rust and grey that always signified the desert. There was nothing else. No signs of Blu. None of the normal mottled stone, spruce and azure that always signified his presence. 

Tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the blood and sweat. She was responsible for Blu and she had lost him too. She sobbed, feeling the sharp pain in her ribs as she drew breath. She sobbed harder and the pain came in sheets, driving through her skull and turning the world cloudy, then flint and lead until it finally slid into black silence. 

*

There was a snuffling from outside the cabin, rousing Zallie from her sleep. A wet tongue licked the side of her face, and Zallie scrunched her nose slightly, wishing it would let her go back to the darkness and peace. 

From somewhere far away there came the sound of an engine and then voices. Zallie slowly opened her eyes to look down Blu’s long muzzle as the dog licked her again and again. Somewhere in the distance, her mother called her name. 

“Mama?” Zallie’s voice was weak and tired. Blu gave a whine of excitement, his tail thumping into the body of the speeder, causing shockwaves that ripped through her body and made her wince. 

“We’re here Zallie. We’ll get you out. Come on Blu, get out so the boys can get to Zallie.” 

The dog backed out, tail still thumping.

“How did you find me?” Zallie croaked. Her throat felt like it was coated in mud. 

“Blu. He must have run all night to get back to  _ The Bower _ ,” her mother’s voice was calm. Zallie couldn’t see her, but she could feel wave after wave of Force surrounding her as mother took stock of her injuries. “We were already out searching for you, but he led us right to you.” 

There were more voices and then Zallie could feel the speeder moving. The weave was flaring with colours, making her eyes hurt and her head spin. 

“Is Blu okay?” she asked quietly. 

“He’s fine, just a couple of scratches,” Del’s voice now, low and comforting. “Hang tight until we get you out. You’ve got a good dog there Zallie.” 

“Look after him for me,” Zallie’s shuddered with pain as the speeder moved. The world was growing dim and quiet again. 

“Look after him yourself. You’re not going anywhere” 

“I’m sorry,” it sounded like her voice was coming from so very far away. “If only I had…”

“No only ifs,” Del said and Zallie half smiled at the familiar saying. “We’ll get you out Zee, and then you can take care of Blu yourself.” 

“Stand back,” her mother said using what Del teasingly referred to as her  _ Jedi voice.  _

The Speeder shifted and she screamed as the pain arced through her body. From outside the speeder Blu howled. Then she was out and lying on the gritty red sand of the desert world. She dimly registered Kei and Taro holding Blu back as he squirmed in their arms. The next second he slipped free and barreled towards her, licking her face and whining. 

“Good boy, Blu,” Zallie whispered as the world slid away from her, “good boy-”


	5. The Snake

The scorched air of the dry sand seared his nose making him sneeze. He panted in the heat as he watched her.  _ She _ was under the  _ small cold sky bird _ , the one that only carried the two of them. She was humming to a tune that played on the little box that she carried with her. 

Blu lay on his stomach watching her and trying to rid himself of the prickly heat. He licked his nose as a new scent broke through. It was a bitter, rasping scent that put him on edge. 

There was movement in the distance and Blu’s head swivelled. In the distant sand a snake moved, slithering determinedly towards where  _ she _ worked oblivious to its approach. 

Blu stretched as he got to his feet and trotted out into the harsh sun. He sniffed the air and scenting the snake’s intention in the sharp odour it gave off. He growled and the snake reared up, hissing and spitting as it rapidly slithered towards him. He backed away and barked a warning. 

The snake lunged at him and Blu skittered sideways, watching it warily. It lunged again. 

He leapt forward, catching it behind the head. He shook his head back and forth, feeling the snake's body whip through the air. The next second it was lying limp in his jaws, the acrid smell of its blood tainting his mouth. 

Blu proudly trotted back to where  _ she _ was working, the snake held delicately in his mouth. 

Blu was happy. 

  
_ She _ would be so proud of him for bringing home such a wonderful present. 


	6. Blue Goodbye

“Blu?” Zallie pushed open the cottage door to darkened silence. There was no familiar bark, no cold wet nose pushing into her hand. No snuffling for food. 

Just silence. 

Zallie put the basket down and hurriedly turned on the lights. Beside the banked fire a huddled shape lay. Her breath caught in the back of her throat at the sight. Blu raised his muzzle off the ground and whined. 

She ran across the room, dodging piles of datapads and furniture to kneel down beside her beloved Feboar hunter. The old hound was barely breathing, its flanks rising slowly with each shallow breath. 

Zallie hiccoughed in pain and fear as she touched him, running her fingers through his thin coat. She gave a tiny cry as her fingers brushed his ribs and she saw the spread of crimson pain spread through the weave of The Force. Blu raised his head again at her cry and tried to struggle to its feet. 

“No, no puppup,” Zallie said stroking his ears as tears flowed down her face like a river escaping a dam. He collapsed back onto his side and panted as his blue eyes met hers. 

Blu had gotten old while they had adventured and fought and discovered. She’d ignored it though. Desperate to believe that he would always be by her side. Even as his muzzle had turned grey and he’d been less inclined to leave his bed by the fire, she’d found that she pushed the idea that he one day might leave her to one side. 

She kicked herself for not having noticed just how thin he had gotten, how his days consisted of just wanting to lay by the fire. She’d thought it was the change of seasons, even as the Force warned that the old dog’s life force was waning thin. She kicked herself again for having gone to the markets for supplies. They could have waited if she had known that today would be the _last_ day. 

She rubbed him beneath the chin in the spot he always loved and he licked her hand. 

Zallie tried to smile even as her chest ached. She reached out with the Force and found his life form; a now faded patch of mottled stone, spruce and azure that always had been his colours. She smoothed it gently, seeing the rough, burred edges in the weave and untangling them. 

Under her fingers, she could feel Blu’s breathing slow. Zallie cupped his head in her hands and bent her face down until their foreheads were touching. He licked her chin and for a second the colours brightened. 

The tears stung her eyes and she tried to calm her breathing and bury her feelings. She didn’t want his last moment to be filled with her tears, only with her love. He licked her hand once more as his breath slowed even more and then stopped. 

“Please don’t go,” she whispered into the still night air as she watched his colours fade out. “Please don’t leave me.” 

Then he was gone and she was all alone. 

Zallie wept. 

  
  
  



End file.
